Estate planning is fairly broad topic.  In most cases all that is required is a simple and straightforward estate plan consisting of a basic will, advance medical directive, and a power of attorney.

In some cases, estate planning requires the expertise of accountants, tax advisors, financial planners, and other professionals working in coordination with your attorney.  This is usually the case when the estate exceeds applicable federal and state tax exemption limits.  In these cases, an appropriate estate plan may utilize  multiple trusts, gifting strategies, and other means to reduce the size of the taxable estate and as a result minimize the estate tax .   If you expect for your estate to be subject to estate taxes then it is highly advisable that you start planning now by speaking with your financial advisors and contacting our office or other competent legal firm for consultation and advice.  Due to the complex nature of planning for taxable estates the discussion on this site is limited to  information primarily relevant to basic estate planning devices.

There is no substitute for an estate planning document, no matter how simple, prepared and reviewed by a licensed attorney.  Therefore, it is not recommended that you try to draft and execute any of these documents on your own or following the advice of internet guides or cheap legal document resources.

Our firm offers affordable, effective estate planning documents and services to meet all of your needs no matter how simple or complex.  If you would like to have your current estate documents reviewed or have been putting off the creation of an estate plan for too long then please call our downtown Lynchburg office to arrange for a consultation.

For more information on basic estate planning devices please check out our more detailed discussion under the individual topics provided.  However, please note that these summaries are not legal advice and are provided for information purposes only.

Wills

Trusts

Advance Medical Directive

Power of Attorney